MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

11/2 Ramirez wins Silver Slugger

Third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who posted his sixth season with at least 30 doubles and 25 home runs this year with the Cubs, won his first Silver Slugger award. Ramirez, 33, who is a free agent after nine seasons with the Cubs, batted .306, seventh best in the National League. His 173 hits and 288 total bases both ranked 10th in the NL. He was named the NL Player of the Week June 27-July 3, hitting .393 with six homers and 10 RBIs in eight games. Ramirez also hit .332 at home, fourth best in the league.

This season, Ramirez belted his 300th career homer on July 1, connecting against Edwin Jackson in an Interleague game against the White Sox. Ramirez is the first Cubs’ Silver Slugger winner since pitcher Carlos Zambrano won his third such award in 2009, and the first non-pitcher to win since catcher Michael Barrett and first baseman Derrek Lee both won in 2005.

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